Electrical gun firing mechanism.



I. F. GALINDEZ. ELECTRICAL GUN FIRING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED DBO.7, 1912.

1,078,782, Patented Nov. 18, 19 13.

s SHEETS-SH-BBT 1.

W F1611- r IN VENTOR WITNESSES L; ATTORNEY I. F. GALINDEZ. ELECTRICALGUN FIRING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATIONIILED DEC. 7, 1912.

Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

/llflg/llfrlllll W w H INVENTOR 'mrT .?44;

WITNESSES 4 ATTORNEY I. P. GALINDBZ. ELECTRICAL GUN FIRING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.'7, 1912.

I 1 ,078,782.' Patented Nov. 18, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

IN VEN TOR WITNESSES 1 A BY 2 2 @l I I Q I L ATTORNEY 1 particularly, inthe case-01E War ships iscor'nspring motor for operating it, andsomounta'citizeil of Argentina, captain in .nism for theelectricalfiring of guns.

outrun sures rnfrssrorrrcn IsMAEL r. eAm-Nnsz, or. Bonito s emns,-.eeenurme. i Jamestown-I. sou r m-Ne i scHAmsM;

specification of Ietters Patent. Pgt m 1 191-3,

- a nueauonlniedm aher 7, 312. sersa m. 755,394.

To aZZ whwnc'tma'y concern). r I

Be, it knownthatl, semen F. Genuine-z,

gentina'Navy, and residentfoi Buenos Ai res, 1n the Province ofBuenos-Aires, Argent-ma, have lit-vented a certain new and usefulImaceom an 1 dra-Win which form apart pi s gs.

' The primary object of invention is provide simple, 'efiective andreliable mecha- 1 More specifically, the object of myinvention istoprqovide means for-supplying'the. current for igniting the explosivecharge/m I thegun'vvhen the latteris discharged, which,

on the onehand ,'will beniorepermanent and reliablethan an electricalbattery, and

on the other hand, will. avoid the wiring and the danger of its"di'sarrangement character .iz-ing. the present means of supplyingcurrentfrom a dynamo or transormer located at some distance-from the SuchWlIlhg.

plicated and readily susceptible of f. disar-f rengement'when, as is'usuallythecase, a.

number f guns are supplied with current from a common source. g 4 Incarrying outmy invention,'l employ a dynamo-electric machine, which"may: Ice-"any one of many known types ofmagnetos', as

' the source of; current 1601 831011 gun, andiempldyinr conjunction withthe magneto-a the;n1agne to and its operating-mechanism My inventionalsoe comprises novel means for releasing the spring actuating. inecha;

nism when the 'gunis to be discharged.

The'various featuresfof. novelty which characterize my invention; arepointed out with particularity in. the claims annexed to and forming apart, of this specification.

, For a better understanding of the invention,

heweven-and ofithe advantages possessedby f it, reterence'should be hadto the accompanyh ing drawings. and descriptive matter in which-I-have.; il1ustrated and described one ofthe forms-sn'wbichmyinventionmay be embodied- 10 the drawings Figure 1 is asideelevaf] tionofa. gun equipped with my improved;

I are removed in-Fig'; 3.

,firing ine'chanism. .Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the gun shown .inFig. 1. Fig.3 is a' sideelevation of a portion of the gun withto Fig.3,but with the parts in placewhich .111 the gun; of known. type" somewhat conventionally illustrated in Figs 11 and 2, the gun barrel A.proper, is mounted in a sleeve.

or cradle'B which-is formed with trunnions' B journaled in a yoke 'C.The latter is piv-t oted on the pedestal D to turnabout'the verticalaxle DC, L'Ie the cradle B is'secured the usual recoil cylinders Y.

represents the rods'connecting the gun barrel to the pistons -working inthe cylinders;Y.'- f,

v The elevation of the gun may-be manually varied-by gearing. notnecessary to describe in detail whichjis mounted on the yoke-C, isoperated by the crank disks E and; includes afispur gear in mesh with'agear segment B secured to'the gun cradle. The gun may bemanuallyturnedabout the axis of the swivelconnectionbetween the y'olte Cand'pedestal D'by means of crank disks. EA and suitable intermediategearing, not, necessary to described-n detail,- which mountedin the yokeC and includes a Worm E in'mesh with the worm'gear D 'formed on thepedestal D. The magneto which, I employto provide the'current forthe'electrical ignition of the explosive charge in the gun, comprises amaincasingjF which is secured to the trout i'ug ,beingclosed by aremovable cover part FF." Themagneto proper is'inounte'd within 'thebcdyof the casing F the permanent field magnets Gbeing secs Fred tthe 'covermemberl l by the bolts G. The

shaft H of the armature H of the magneto, is'jburnaled at one end-.ofthe armature in to theinner side ofbearings formed in thecasing parts'FAand F The spring actuating mechanlsm for the magneto and the'releasable'locking mechanism'. for said actuating; mechanism are lobated in the mechanism chamber F:

- Theactuaatingmechanismcomprises a lever 1. secured to the shaft Hand-provided end of the sleeve or cradle'B. shown, the. casing F.isformed with one open side normally closedby the removablecover -FA.

' site sides of the shaft H.. These pins are" avith diametricallyopposed arms I, in

which are mounted pins 1? located at oppoconnected by helical springs Jto pins K and vK secured to the b'asingpart FA.' The springs J which arerelatively-stiff, tend to holdthe shaft H and lever I in the position,shown in full .lines in Fig. 3, in which the axes of the pins P, K and Kall lie in a formed in a mem er A secured to the upper pllane passingthrough the axis of theshaft. To utilize the recoil of the gun inauto-.'

matically rotating the armature shaft H and lever I intothe positionshown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, after each discharge, anarm L isadjustably' secured to the armature shaft H. The arm L projects throughan opening formed in the bottom-wall of the mechanism chamber F andnormally -lies in a slot A side of the gun barrel'A. At its front endthe bottom-wall of the slot' A terminates in an inclined wall-A and atthe front end of the latter the shoulder A is formed.

On the recoil movement of the gun the shoulder A is'ear-ried from theposition shown. in full lines in Fig.v 3 into the dotted 7 line positionin which the shoulderis at the right side of the arm L. As thegunreturns home the shoulder A engages the arm- L and turns it-in theclockwise direction to move the parts ofthe actuating mechanism into thedotted line position shown inQFig.

g3. It'is to be .noted that unless the return movement of the gun issufficient to bring the main portion of the slot A beneath the lever L,the'latter is not free, tojmove from the dotted line position into thefull line position shown in Fig. 3. As shown, the arm L is provided witha-bifurcated hub por-' .tion encircling the shaft at the oppositesidesof, the hub 'ofthelever I. 'Adjusting screws M passing through aportion L of the lever L, and bearing against thejarms I i of'the leverI, are employed to lock the arm the latter in its locking position inwhich the arm N engages a stop pin 1? connected to the casing part FA.In its normal position the catch lug N of the catch N is in position toengage the free'end of the lever I and hold the latter in its dottedline position whenever moved into that osition. To release the lever Ifrom the trigger N when the gun is to be fired, a releasing lever P- isfulcrumedat its lower end on the pin K.-

The releasing lever L is formed with a gun firer, or otherwise. isarranged for qulck and easy operation by' portion T of the chamber Preceivin a sliding bolt Q, and a spring Q normal tending to hold thelatter'in the position in which its lower end is adapted to'engage thelug N on the trigger N when the releasing lever'L is moved in theclockwise direction. A spring S connects the upper end of the lever P toa pin 1: carried by the casing, and normally holds the lever P in theposition shownin Fig. 3,

in which it engages a stop pin F carried by the casing. To permit thetrigger N to snap back into its. latching position after the lever I isreleased, even thoughthe 1ever- P may still be held in the discharge,position,-

the bolt Q, is provided with a pin or projection Q, which engages and islifted by a camR secured to the casing part. FA as the lever P is turnedon its fulcrum.- The a parts are so arranged that the bolt, Q,

-..Will release the trigger N only after a move-j mentof the lattersufli'cient to release the lever I. But for the desirability ofrendering it impossible for the firer to unconsciously revent therelatching of the'lever I in its. otted position on the recoilmovementof the gun, the levers N and P might be rigidly orintegrallyconnected.

To turn the lever P in theclockwise direction and thereby releasethelever Iwhen the gun is to be fired, a suitable pull T is connected tothe-upper end of the lever P.

- This pull may run to any convenient-point for the operation by. thehand or foot. of the As shown, the pull the hand of the gun attendantcontrolling the elevation offthe gun. For this purpose the handle Ejournaledon the crank securedto one of the crank disks E, carries asleeve-like. support E for the enlarged end ull'member T. To theendportion T is 'pIVOiZG/CI a ring T in position' to receive and to beactuated by one.

finger of the hand of the .operator grasping the handle'EE The. lattermay thus exert the necessary pull on the member T. at the very instantatwhich'the proper elevation necessary change in flexible. -'For tageouslybe made of flexible wire. The

member T fits snugly within but is longitudinally movable in a flexiblecasing U which is secured at one end to the casing member FA and at theother end to the sleeve member E. This flexible sleeve should'besufiiciently stiff and inextensible so that whenevera pull is impartedto the -member T the latter will slide in the casing II." To effectuallyprotect the casing U and to guard against its kinking-I mclose .of thegun is secured. To permit of the I osition of the ,pull 'member T,asthe'cran disk E to which it is secured is rotated, the member T ismade instance, it may advanthe latter in a casing formed in partby theflexiblearmor V and in part by the pipe to the-sleeve part E? and theother to the sect-ion secured to the casing part FA. One endof theflexible "armor? is secured outer'end-of the pipe section VA.

a handle IV is jour- --naled--.on' a boss F carried by theorising 1 theshaft 'I .his hen le part F? and suri-oundin v is normally held againstthe stop pin F 'in a position in Whichit does not interfere'xvith themove merits of tlie'armatureshafhH a helical spring connected atoneiendto the 'casmggcov'er li -and att'heother end to-the handle-W. Thehandle-W carries a: pin or;

' projection W adapted when the handle is turne'dto engage a shoulder Xat-one'end of a cutaway-portion ofa disk X secured to the outer endoftheshaft H, and thereby move the actuating mechanism from t f l lineposition shown in Fig; '3'into the dotted line position shown-in thatfigure.- The cutaway ortion of the disk Xissol located that W en-thehandle W is in its retracted osition in "which it engages the stop pin 4F the armature shaft may have itsnecessary movements ithout interferenceby; the handle Y In operation after the actuating mechanism' is lockedin the dotted. llneposition broughtiaboutb a pulleigerted' on the memberT, ,permitst e parts to turn into the fullline position in Fig. 3. hetenSiondf-th'e springs-J sh,0u1'd be suchthat the movement thereby-imparted to the armature shaft H when the-lever I isreleasedgwillicause the 40 magneto to ene'ra't-esuiiicient-current toig-- 'nite the exp osive charge in the The actual ignition of the chargemaybe brought about-inthe usual manneriby means not shown-forvelectrically heating the bridge of the primer up to the temperatureofignitiorf. l Thoseskilled in the. artjwilljunderstand ofjcourse thatthe armature "of themagnetosliould preferably be disposed to enerate itsmaximum electro motlve' force uringthe partial, turn given thearmaturcby the springs J During the-backward re coil movement of the followingits discharge, the cam Wall A- en'gages the arm L and moves the latterin 'thecounterclockwise direction suificientlyto" permit the ShOllldBflAto pass to the rightof lever as seen i'n'Fig. 3; on the returnmovementof the gun the shoulder A turns the-arm L in theielockwise directioxifar enough-t0 carry the free end 'of'the lever 'I beneath the trig gercatch N, "If the gun ams and does" not have: a suflici'ent returnmovement the shoulder A orthe -outer end wall of the'slot 2 will.prevent the subsequent release of. the .a'etuating mechanisin; and lftlie hackig. 3, therelease of the level "I,

' I claim a'snew ward recoil movement ofthegun is less than [normal theactuatingmechanlsm will not be automatically lockedunder tension, thusdiv H frectingattentiontothe faultyoperation of To permit the actuatingmeehanism'to'be. *manualiy moved intoand lOCkEd in its'oper ativecondition{when occasion demands, as.

'when firing is to-begin,

the:

IhWi ill be apparent 'tothoseiskilled in the 'art-thatthe mechanismdescribed is both a'dynam'o ior transformer located at some distancefromfl the gn-n source of current. Such an arrangement-,iwhlch s nowgenerally employed, has been found unsatisfac- 'tory,- particularly in.the case of War ships,

by reason of the complicated character of the wiring for suitablyconnecting all of the various guns to the source of current, and

the danger of having this Wiring injured in action,particularly in thecase of cruisers,

torpedo boat destroyers-and other unar-' mored or lightly armored ships.The inven tiony'while of-s'pecial value for'use on War ships, mayobviously be used "wlth advan-- tage on coast defense guns, and even onfield artillery, Inasmuch as the spring actuate "n oreib making thesource of the firing cu'r- 4 t rent inividual' to each gun; it ispossible to avoid the wiring for connecting-the gun toing mechanism isdirectly connectedto the.

armature o-f'the magneto and the firing cur rentisgeneratedby an angularmovement-i of the armature, Which is but a fractional part of one turn,the" generation of the firing current follows almost-instantaneouslyafter the release of the spring actuating mechanism for the magneto..

While in accordance With'the provisions"- of thestatutes, 1' haveillustrated and described the best forms of my invention now known tome, ,it will be apparent-to those skilled in the art that changes may bemade in the form ofthe apparatus disclesed With V out departing from thespirit of my invention, and that undersOme conditions certain-featuresof my invention may "be'used without --a c0rresponding use of other features: In particular it is' to be understood that the position of thedynamo electric machineand the manner in which it is actuated may varyand depend to some-extent on-thetype of gun'and the character bfiftslmounting, the essential feature being that the actuating mechanismfor the dynamo Lelectric machine "shall be so disposedand arranged thatit will be put under tension by the rela- "tive movements of the gun andits mounting folloWingthe discharge of the gun;.,.- Having nowdescribedmy inyention, what and desire to s'ec'ure by Le.t t n i si a his I LIncombination with a, guna'nd its recoil mounting, of electrical firingmecha-l nism for the 'gun comprising a dynamo-elem nt trio machine, arotatable armature, spring actuating mechanism connected to saidarmature and tending to hold the latter in one position, and meansacti'lated by the movement of the gun in its mounting following itsdischarge for giving a partial turn to said armature to move the latterfrom said one position into, a second position, and means for releasablylocking said armature in said second position].

2. In combination with a gun and .its'recoil mounting of electricalfiring mechanism for the gun comp-rising a dynamo-electric machine ofthe magnetotype, a rotatablearmature, spring actuating mechanismconnected to said armature and tending to hold the latter in oneposition, and means actuated by the movement of the gun in its mountingfollowing its discharge for giving .a partial turn to said armature tomove the ISMAEL F. GALINDEZ.

Witnesses ARNOLD KATz, D. STEWART.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

